1. Field of Invention
This invention pertains to a foot rest for a wheeled chair. More particularly, this invention pertains to a sling attached to a wheeled chair with the sling movable between a stored position and a deployed position providing support for the occupant's feet.
2. Description of the Related Art
Wheelchairs are useful for transporting persons who are not mobile or who are incapable of walking. Very little has changed in wheelchairs over the years. Generally wheelchairs have two large wheels in the rear, two smaller ones in the front, and a seat positioned between the wheels. Removable, swing-away foot rests are typically attached to the front wheel supports.
For those persons who have some function remaining in their lower legs, wheelchair occupants often shuffle their feet to move the chair forward. In order to accomplish this form of locomotion, the wheelchair foot rests must be either folded up out of the way or removed from the chair. If the rigid foot rests are folded up, they often present a hazard for chair occupants who have limited motor control. For example, the cuff of the occupant's pants leg easily snags on the foot rest and the occupant can be bruised when their legs knock against the foot rests. If the foot rests are removed from the wheelchair, they must be either retrieved or carried with the chair for reinstallation when the occupant tires and can no longer propel the chair by shuffling their feet.
When persons who frequently propel themselves using their feet need to be transported long distances or over uneven terrain, a caregiver will push the chair. To avoid injury to the wheelchair occupant it is necessary that the occupant use the foot rests of the wheelchair. Otherwise the occupant is at risk of having a foot strike the ground and be pulled back as the chair moves forward, resulting in a foot injury. But as noted above, such persons often do not use the foot rests because the persons are used to propelling themselves with their feet and the foot rests are not always available.